This invention relates to a spray system which sprays mold release agent etc. onto inside surfaces of opened metal molds for a casting machine.
In a conventional spray system, two board portions equipped with spray nozzles for spraying the mold release agent etc. have been unmovable. Replacement of the board portion has been done by detaching and attaching the entire board portion. In addition, a surface of the board portion facing on the inside surface of the metal mold has been flat, and the spray nozzles have been installed on the flat surface.
In the conventional spray system having the foregoing structure has presented the following problems.
(1) Because of the two unmovable board portions, there existed points in the inside surfaces of metal molds to which the mold release agent etc. could not be sprayed so that defective die-cast products would be produced, in case where the inside surface of a metal mold to be sprayed included deep grooved configurations. For this reason, the spray system having such a structure that one-side board portion can be moved is proposed in Publication No. JP-5-329608. According to this system, the occurrence of defective die-cast products can be reduced as compared with the conventional spray system. In the field of die-cast technology, however, it is desired to further reduce the occurrence of defective die-cast products.
(2) Since the entire board portion is heavy, a detaching/attaching operation of the entire board portion has been difficult and dangerous.
(3) Since the spray nozzles are installed on the flat surface of the board portion, the nozzle length has been set to 200 to 500 mm in case where the inside surface of metal mold has included complicated configurations. In case of a long nozzle length, however, it has been difficult to spray the mold release agent etc. onto a spray point accurately because the nozzle is easily affected by vibration etc. of the board portion. For this reason, defective die-cast products would be produced.
An object of this invention is to provide a spray system which can spray the mold release agent etc. onto a spray point of the inside surface of the metal mold accurately and can further reduce an occurrence of defective die-cast products.
A first embodiment is a spray system for spraying a mold release agent etc. onto inside surfaces of opened metal molds for a die casting machine; having a base plate to which a supply device for distributing and supplying the mold release agent etc. is mounted, a support member fixed to the base plate, a first cylinder mechanism and a second cylinder mechanism both fixed to the support member, a first slide tube and a second slide tube both fixed to the support member, a first board portion and a second board portion disposed oppositely on both sides of the support member and equipped with spray nozzles for spraying the mold release agent etc., a first holding bar one end of which is fixed to the first board portion and the other end side of which slidably pierces and extends through the support member, and a second holding bar one end of which is fixed to the second board portion and the other end of which slidably pierces and extends through the support member; in which the first slide tube is freely expandable between the support member and the first board portion and connects a supply outlet of the supply device and a passage inlet of the first board portion, the second slide tube is freely expandable between the support member and the second board portion and connects the supply outlet of the supply device and a passage inlet of the second board portion, each board portion is so constructed that a nozzle cassette is detachably fitted to a board base plate, the nozzle cassette is equipped with a large number of spray nozzles, and the spray nozzle is connected to the passage inlet of the board portion, each cylinder mechanism is composed of a cylinder body fixed to the support member and a rod expanding from and retracting in the cylinder body, the first cylinder mechanism has such a construction as to move the first board portion relative to the support member by expanding and retracting the rod in parallel with the first holding bar, and the second cylinder mechanism has such a construction as to move the second board portion relative to the support member by expanding and retracting the rod in parallel with the second holding bar.
According to the first embodiment, the first board portion and the second board portion can be moved so that the first board portion can be put near to the inside surface of the fixed metal mold and the second board portion can be put near to the inside surface of the movable metal mold. Therefore, the mold release agent etc. can be sprayed onto the inside surfaces of both metal molds accurately and securely. Consequently, the occurrence of defective die-cast products can be prevented.
Since each board portion is so constructed that the nozzle cassette is detachably fitted to the board base plate, each board portion can be replaced only by detaching and attaching the nozzle cassette. Therefore, the replacement work of each board portion can be done easily and safely.
A second embodiment is a spray system under a not-moving state of the first board portion and the second board portion; in which the other end of the first holding bar also slidably pierces and extends through the second board portion, the first slide tube is composed of an external tube and an internal tube expandable from the external tube, the tip end of the internal tube connects to the first board portion, and the external tube pierces and extends through the second board portion.
According to the invention of the second embodiment, the moving distance of the first board portion can be made large. Therefore, the spray nozzle can be put nearer to the inside surface of the fixed metal mold so that more accurate spraying becomes possible.
A third embodiment is a spray system under a not-moving state of the first board portion and the second board portion; in which the other end of the second holding bar also slidably pierces and extends through the first board portion, the second slide tube is composed of an external tube and an internal tube expandable from the external tube, the tip end of the internal tube connects to the second board portion, and the external tube pierces and extends through the first board portion.
According to the third embodiment, the moving distance of the second board portion can be made large. Therefore, the spray nozzle can be put nearer to the inside surface of the movable metal mold so that more accurate spraying becomes possible.
A fourth embodiment is a spray system in which the nozzle cassette has concave and convex configurations corresponding to concave and convex configurations on the inside surfaces of the metal mold to be sprayed, and includes a number of spray nozzles on surfaces of the concave/convex configurations.
According to the fourth embodiment, the mold release agent etc. can be sprayed securely even onto side faces of the concave and convex configurations of the inside surfaces of both metal molds. Therefore, the mold release agent etc. can be sprayed thoroughly onto the inside surfaces of both metal molds. Consequently, an occurrence of defective die-cast products including seizure etc. can be prevented more securely.
A fifth embodiment is a spray system in which each board portion is provided with a shock absorber for moderating a shock occurring when the board portion strikes against the metal mold.
According to the fifth embodiment, the shock occurring when each board portion strikes against the metal mold can be moderated and a breakage of the spray nozzle due to the striking can be prevented.
A sixth embodiment is a spray system in which two base plates stand at right angles to the board portion and are disposed in such a way as to face each other, the supply device is fixed to the one-side base plate, and the two base plates are supported by diagonally connected turnbuckles.
According to the sixth embodiment, the two base plates can be firmly held perpendicular to, and facing, each other.